Garde Francaises, War of the Spanish Succession

[Khurasan Miniatures]

Now that the basic line troops for our WSS range are done, I'm turning to special troops and lesser troops -- so the French dragoons are done and will be released soon.

Want to do the French Guards (French as well as Swiss) next and that will just require adding lace for the most part I reckon, but I'm having a bit of trouble finding period refs for the men and officers. I have funcken but that is 1717 or 1721+ and doesn't show all ranks (officers noncoms and men).

Any recommendations on illustrated sources I can use to do the conversions? Also any peculiarities in equipment (like for instance officers' polearms being different in the Swiss Guards, that sort of thing)?  This is just one of a number of WSS ranges so I try to distinguish it by making the small details as accurate as possible.

Thanks in advance.  

[Sarge Canard]

This is a bit tenuous, but there was a large series of articles on the French army of the 9YW and WSS by Mark Allen in Wargames Illustrated in the early 90s. IIRC it covered all arms, including the Gardes in some detail.

As I said, tenuous.

<edit> I went a-Googling. This is one of the plates. None of the accompanying text though.

[Stéphane]

Gardes Français and Gardes Suisses have exactly the same uniform. Only uniform colors were exchange and the flags diferents.
Flintlock for everyones in the WSS. No more pike, breast plate or shoulder ribbons.
I believe NCO's have an Halberd more than a spontoon. But I couldn't found the reerences. Not so differences with troops uniform only quality of cloth. It was very enouth in these times to make the diference.
Too much troops in French army for having lot of signs of ranks like in the british army. Even grenadiers wearing the tricorn hat.

Stéphane

PS: you are very lucky if you've got Funcken's books.

[Khurasan Miniatures]

Yes I have google too so I found that image. ;-) Not sure I believe the officer's jacket though. Hardly any lace? The funcken book shows the French guards officers coat as heavily laced.

I doubt they suddenly added all the lace in 1721!  

I'll have a look for that WI article though, thanks.

[Khurasan Miniatures]

PS: you are very lucky if you've got Funcken's books.

Are they OOP?  Surprised as they are old standbys.  I've paged through mine so often they are falling apart -- I guess I should be careful!  (Mine are the hardcovers.)

[huevans]

http://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/fightingtalk/index.php

These are the blokes who can direct you. If it's about Marlborough, Eugene and their pals, you can find it on this board.

[Khurasan Miniatures]

Thanks for that heuvans!

[warrenpeace]

Get the Robert Hall CD's. You can usually find them in the Marlburian section at On Military Matters dot com. Some of the best purchases I ever made related to the WSS.

[Khurasan Miniatures]

http://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/fightingtalk/index.php

These are the blokes who can direct you. If it's about Marlborough, Eugene and their pals, you can find it on this board.

Update -- I signed up about a week ago but never got my membership authorized. EDIT: just got authorized! Have asked on that board.

Here's a question -- to what extent is making them even necessary? Do people typically paint the extra lace on?

[Khurasan Miniatures]

This is a bit tenuous, but there was a large series of articles on the French army of the 9YW and WSS by Mark Allen in Wargames Illustrated in the early 90s. IIRC it covered all arms, including the Gardes in some detail.

As I said, tenuous.

<edit> I went a-Googling. This is one of the plates. None of the accompanying text though.

By the way, hope my first reply wasn't too cheeky, Jeff. Yes I'd found that image but still appreciate the help.

So a sculptor sent me a link to some period illustrations that bracket the WSS -- Giffart (1696) and then post-Louis XIV (Parrocel, 1718). Too early, then too late!

For the rankers they match up pretty well except for the cuffs. Earlier on they have no lace, later they do. (Funckens show Parrocel but that's natural as they focus on Louis XV.)

Think I'm going to use Giffart for the lace but am still undecided on the cuff lace for the rankers. As the image Jeff posted shows, at least some people believe that the guardsmen had the cuff lace during the course of the war. Of course my sculptor would prefer to just use Giffart. :-)

[LCpl McDoom]

I've just gone & had a quick browse at your website - and have a bit of a daft question: your WSS ranges are 15mm? 

[Khurasan Miniatures]

Sorry, don't understand what you mean by the question.

[LCpl McDoom]

On the webpage for the Bavarians, French, British et al, the specific links & info for the figures all state 15mm - but - the webpage title says 18mm. I have looked at your webpage in the past and seen '18mm' at the top and then gone no further. So it was just a quick (and probably daft) question to actually confirm that the figures are 15mm? 

None of my usual gaming crew have ever order from you so I've never actually seen these Khurasan Miniatures in the metal, so to speak 

[Patrice]

Giffart (1696) and then post-Louis XIV (Parrocel, 1718). Too early, then too late! (...)
Earlier on they have no lace, later they do.

Uniforms and equipments evolved quickly during the previous war (League of Augsburg/Grand Alliance)... My guess is that (as in most wars even in modern times) they started the WSS with "early", pre-war, uniforms... and ended with late war - to become post-war - uniforms which could be slightly different.

Yes I know I'm not helping you at all with this, sorry...